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Clarity

Brian Coryat

Santa Barbara, CA

I've spent more than 30 years building companies, investing in entrepreneurs, and helping founders navigate the moments that matter most.

I founded multiple startups, took one from an idea to the NASDAQ, was honored as an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and later co-founded a venture capital firm where I evaluated and invested in early-stage companies.

I've raised and invested tens of millions of dollars, built executive teams, expanded internationally, acquired and sold businesses, served in boardrooms, and sat on both sides of the fundraising table.

Today I work privately with founders, entrepreneurs, CEOs, and investors who want one place where they can think clearly through difficult decisions with someone who has been there before.

Typical topics include:

• Founder decision making
• Raising capital
• CEO leadership
• Scaling companies
• Hiring executives
• Board dynamics
• Investor relations
• Exits and acquisitions
• Entrepreneurship after success

$10.00/min

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Navigate Critical Founder and CEO Decisions

Building a company means making important decisions in territory you’ve never navigated before. Sometimes you need more than a specialist. You need an experienced founder who can understand the whole situation, ask the right questions, and help you see your options clearly.

Over the past three decades, I’ve founded and led multiple startups, built a company from a $200 investment to the NASDAQ, raised and invested tens of millions of dollars, assembled executive teams, expanded internationally, acquired and sold companies, served on boards, and co-founded a venture capital firm.

I can help you think through:

• Startup and growth strategy
• Raising capital and evaluating financing options
• Investor, board, and co-founder relationships
• Hiring, managing, or replacing key executives
• Scaling your organization and leadership
• Acquisitions, exits, and major strategic opportunities
• Difficult decisions you can’t comfortably discuss with the people affected by them
• Reinventing yourself or deciding what comes next

I won’t give you a formula or pretend there’s always one right answer. I’ll listen carefully, challenge your assumptions when needed, share candid perspective from both sides of the table, and help you leave the conversation with greater clarity and a practical next step.

One conversation may be all you need.

Decision Making

The most important decisions in business rarely have obvious answers.

Over the past three decades, I've made thousands of strategic decisions as the founder and CEO of multiple startups, an active angel investor, venture capitalist, board member, and advisor. I've experienced the entrepreneurial journey from nearly every perspective—from launching a company and raising capital to building leadership teams, navigating boards, scaling organizations, acquiring businesses, taking a company public, and successfully exiting.

Many of the conversations I have aren't about finding the "right" answer—they're about helping leaders think more clearly. Together we'll examine assumptions, evaluate risks, explore alternatives, and consider the long-term implications of the choices in front of you.

Whether you're facing a difficult leadership challenge, evaluating a major opportunity, deciding whether to raise capital, hire an executive, acquire a company, pivot your strategy, or make another high-impact decision, I'll help you work through it with greater clarity, confidence, and perspective.

Sometimes one conversation can change the trajectory of a business.

Startups

As the founder and CEO of multiple startups, an active angel investor, and co-founder of a venture capital firm, I've had the privilege of sitting on nearly every side of the entrepreneurial table. I've built companies, raised capital, invested in founders, served on boards, and advised entrepreneurs through many of the defining moments of their journey—from refining an idea and launching a business to scaling, fundraising, leadership transitions, acquisitions, and successful exits.

Startup Funding and Venture Capital

Over the past three decades I've raised and invested tens of millions of dollars, built companies from an idea on a blank page to the NASDAQ, and co-founded a venture capital firm.

Whether you're raising your first angel round, preparing for institutional investors, refining your pitch, or deciding whether venture capital is even the right path, I'll help you think through the decision from both sides of the table.

I've been the founder asking for capital and the investor deciding where to invest it.

Our conversation can cover:

• Fundraising strategy
• Angel investors vs. venture capital
• Pitch preparation and investor messaging
• Valuation expectations
• Due diligence preparation
• Negotiating term sheets
• Investor relationships
• Deciding whether to raise at all

Startup Strategy

Building a successful startup isn't just about having a great idea. It's about making hundreds of decisions that shape the future of your company.

Over the past three decades, I've built multiple startups from the ground up, taken a company public on the NASDAQ, raised and invested tens of millions of dollars, co-founded a venture capital firm, and served as a founder, CEO, investor, board member, and advisor. I've experienced nearly every stage of the entrepreneurial journey and understand how strategic decisions evolve as a company grows.

Whether you're validating an idea, defining your business model, choosing a go-to-market strategy, prioritizing growth opportunities, preparing to raise capital, building a leadership team, or deciding what comes next, I'll help you evaluate your options, challenge assumptions, and think through the long-term consequences of your decisions.

Every startup faces uncertainty. My goal is to help you gain greater clarity, avoid costly mistakes, and make decisions with greater confidence.

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Member since June 2026